Nintendo announces HD, online Wii U revamp for Wii Sports games

Also giving away free month-long, full-game trial for Wii Fit U

Nintendo might not be actively participating in the Tokyo Game Show this week, but it's doing its best to keep the Wii U in the headlines with updates to some best-selling Wii software.

First up comes word that Nintendo will be releasing updated versions of the games from Wii Sports. The new games in Wii Sports Club will feature HD graphics, improved MotionPlus controls, and, most intriguingly, an online versus mode that groups players loosely together into regional "club" teams.

Rather than re-releasing Wii Sports as a single package, though, Nintendo is dribbling out all five component games as individual releases, starting with Tennis and Bowling on November 7. Each game will sell for $9.99, a price that might seem a little galling considering the original game was a free pack-in with the original North American Wii, not to mention that Wii Sports first started selling with systems seven years old. Those not quite ready to take the full price plunge will be able to purchase a "day pass" for $1.99, or download limited-time free trials after purchasing other Wii Sports Club games.

Speaking of unorthodox pricing, Nintendo also announced that a complete version of Wii Fit U will be available as a month-long free trial when it launches on November 1. The trial will be available for download through January 2014, and give players access to 77 different healthy activities, including 19 new ones making use of the Wii U GamePad (the rest are Wii Balance Board holdovers from Wii Fit Plus).

Players that want to keep going past the first month can purchase the new Fit Meter pedometer peripheral for $19.99. Besides measuring steps, activity intensity, and altitude, the Fit Meter can sync up with the Wii U through the GamePad to keep track of activity levels through the system (this syncing is what unlocks the game past the one month trial window).

I really don't see the problem with what they're doing. My kid spent many hours playing Wii sports. If he spent even a fraction of that time playing these HD versions, they would be worth it. The online component may be interesting also, depending on how they implement it.

I'm not sure if the wiiU is an unfortunate intermediary step, or a sign of Nintendo's complete lack of confidence in their ability to compete in an evolving market. The cheap design (using old controllers and hardware that allows them to publish DS games on the system too) argues for the former. Their inability to deliver games for the system, byzantine online system, and reluctance to publish games outside of Japan argues for the later. Either way they're limping through the current generation with cheap and pathetic moves like this.

By the next one they could be poised to deliver a technically superior experience with years lead time, since the PS4 and XB one are not huge leaps and they release every 5 to six years while the other two are lengthening cycles, or they'll drift into complete irrelevance as the old guard retires.

No thanks. Looks like my Wii U will be reserved for Zelda and Mario. Would have bought it anyways for those titles. Nintendo really needs to step up their game. I was expecting the sports titles to be free HD remakes.

I'm not expecting this will have anywhere near the same impact as the original due to all the motion-controlled minigame clones that followed it. But what I can't figure out is why such an obvious franchise iteration took almost a year after the Wii U's launch to arrive.

This is shameful. Nintendo owes their loyal customers a better experience with the Wii U, and charging them an exorbitant fee for old software isn't the way to deliver said experience.

Shameful? Is HD Wind Waker shameful? What do you suggest Nintendo owes people?

I think this is great, we'll see how improved the controls really are, but playing tennis online will be fun. The pricing seems fine to me, most people had 1 or 2 favorite sports. If it's such a terrible idea/pricing scheme it won't sell, the outrage is unwarranted.

Yes Wii Sports was packaged with the Wii (in some countries), but that doesn't mean it was free, the price was just factored in to the console price. You're paying $10 not just for HD, but for online play, seems fair to me.

Unfortunately I still don't think Nintendo understands modern day gaming...

I just passed the 500 hour mark in monster hunter 3u and MH4 is blowing off shelves if anyone can even find a copy anymore.

Me thinks they're doing just fine.

Why we need three consoles that play the exact same games is beyond me. I bet you're one of those people that say the wii u isn't as powerful as the ps360.

Wow, I'm only at the 300 mark. Just something about a game centered around the boss fight. This exclusive deal was the best move Numbmindo could make.

I just hit the 200 hour mark myself. I could probably progress faster if I took online (HR6 at the moment, should be at HR7 soon), but I made it a point to learn how to properly fight every monster by myself, as I don't like to drag the team down. The number of people online who really have no idea what they are doing is surprising (and they all have ridiculously high hunter ranks too).

This is shameful. Nintendo owes their loyal customers a better experience with the Wii U, and charging them an exorbitant fee for old software isn't the way to deliver said experience.

Shameful? Is HD Wind Waker shameful? What do you suggest Nintendo owes people?

I think this is great, we'll see how improved the controls really are, but playing tennis online will be fun. The pricing seems fine to me, most people had 1 or 2 favorite sports. If it's such a terrible idea/pricing scheme it won't sell, the outrage is unwarranted.

Yes Wii Sports was packaged with the Wii (in some countries), but that doesn't mean it was free, the price was just factored in to the console price. You're paying $10 not just for HD, but for online play, seems fair to me.

Nintendo owes people nothing. Most people are complaining at Nintendo because they're failing at providing a compelling reason for being in the console business, and that's sad/disappointing.

I was bored with Wii Sports after barely ten minutes the first time I played it on the Wii, why would I want to pay for an HD version with the same shallow repetitive gameplay even if it is online? Nintendo still doesn`t get it.

I was bored with Wii Sports after barely ten minutes the first time I played it on the Wii, why would I want to pay for an HD version with the same shallow repetitive gameplay even if it is online? Nintendo still doesn`t get it.

This is an amazing comment. Nintendo doesn't "get it" because you didn't like a game that millions of people actually enjoyed a lot. Self-centered much?

Back on topic, I actually think that upgrading these games was a good idea and selling each one separately is great (I didn't play some of the minigames that much in the original). The only thing I don't like is the price, $10 bucks is a little too much, specially considering that the original one was $30 for all the games in a printed disk.

Well, it just wouldn't be Nintendo if they weren't rehashing something, would it? Not that I don't think people will go for this, but the pricing sure seems a bit off to me. You honestly do have to wonder if the novelty will carry over, seven years on.

I thought we wanted third parties to sell well on Nintendo platforms because those sell consoles and attract more third party developers? Nintendo-related threads on Ars are so confusing, I'm never sure what we're supposed to complain about.

The MotionPlus additions can make a big difference in Tennis. I'm interested in seeing if they let you control the angle of your shot more. I have Resort but I can't remember if they added it for that.

The MotionPlus additions can make a big difference in Tennis. I'm interested in seeing if they let you control the angle of your shot more. I have Resort but I can't remember if they added it for that.

I have Resort too, but all everyone ever wanted to play was sword fighting.

This is shameful. Nintendo owes their loyal customers a better experience with the Wii U, and charging them an exorbitant fee for old software isn't the way to deliver said experience.

Shameful? Is HD Wind Waker shameful? What do you suggest Nintendo owes people?

I think this is great, we'll see how improved the controls really are, but playing tennis online will be fun. The pricing seems fine to me, most people had 1 or 2 favorite sports. If it's such a terrible idea/pricing scheme it won't sell, the outrage is unwarranted.

Yes Wii Sports was packaged with the Wii (in some countries), but that doesn't mean it was free, the price was just factored in to the console price. You're paying $10 not just for HD, but for online play, seems fair to me.

Nintendo owes people nothing. Most people are complaining at Nintendo because they're failing at providing a compelling reason for being in the console business, and that's sad/disappointing.

I respectfully disagree. Nintendo does owe a good experience to those who have purchased a Wii U. Charging them a fee - an exorbitant fee, IMO - for an old boring title which was bundled for free with the original Wii is adding insult to injury.

I don't personally know anyone who purchased a Wii U. And most of the comments I read online from people who did purchase the system are disillusioned with it. Nintendo has failed to make a compelling argument for new consumers to purchase the Wii U, and they've done literally nothing to satisfy those who have purchased the system. Re-releasing old titles in HD included.

It's been a shameful performance, on their part. And moves like this are just making it worse.

This a great idea, I hate booting into Wii mode to play older games so if I can pick up these games another way that would be worth it. plus my disc is heavily damaged(kids) so if its digital they can't ruin the disc anymore.

Unfortunately I still don't think Nintendo understands modern day gaming...

I think they understand it very well. There is a huge demand for unorthodox gaming experiences, like those offered on the Wii, providing solid game mechanics but with simplified controls and a lack of gore.

It's just that their execution with the Wii U has been pretty terrible so far. From the name of the console, to the lack of games in the launch window.

If they can find the same magic formula again, that they found with Brain Training or Wii Sports or Wii Fit... then they will have success. But they can't just release their old titles in HD and hope everyone runs out and buys a Wii U for the bump in graphical fidelity.

Kyle Orland / Kyle is the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica, specializing in video game hardware and software. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He is based in the Washington, DC area.